I am ready to buy a Hensley Arrow or a Propride hitch, frankly I am leaning towards the Hensley.

We are thinking about buying a TT 30'+ and we have the 24' car hauler. The car hauler is hard to adjust weight because their is very little adjustment room in the trailer and when loaded weighs about 9000 lbs

What are your thought and opinions?

 

I did all kinds of research on this when I purchased my Jayco 32BHDS. I was going to get the propride because it suposedly hitches up easier. There is a lot of bashing between each company so simple google searches are difficult to deal with. My opinion is that Hensley was the original and Propride is an improved version. Long story short, after getting the Reese dual cam set up right, it seems to tow well and that is what I am using.

Try looking or searching in RV.net/forum for some insight. Good Luck.

Also, you mention a car hauler and a travel trailer. Bear in mind that the hich gets mounted on the trailer, so if you were thinking about sharing it between the 2 trailers, you can't. You will need 2 of them.

 

It must be something in the air.......
I bought a Hensley Arrow last night, it's an older unit thats in pretty good shape, of course it's rusty (aren't they all?) so I'll be refinishing it but everything feels very tight (good) on it with no extra play or slop. I will be upgrading to heavier spring bars from the 1K ones that came with it.
I agree with Country Traveler about digging through all the mud slinging between Pro-Pride and Hensley in various online forums, it really makes them both look kinda bad, and a lot less than professional at times. I also didn't like the sales pitch that both tossed me over the phone while I was doing my research. If you want to sell me your product, sell it to me based on it's merits, not the (precieved) shortcommings of your competitors product. It's a sad situation but they are the only two real choices in this particular market. I went with a used Arrow based on the cost and lack of availability of a used Pro-Pride (at least in my searches). I really feel that they both are excellent products that are well made and perform as advertized.
Have you seen this thread? https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-question.html

 

I am real happy with the Reese dual cam also. We are towing a 33' travel trailer, 9000lbs and 1100lbs tongue weight. With this set up you could just buy the cam arms, extra chains and trailer chain mounts for the second trailer.

 

It is very confusing what is out there. It is my understanding that I can use it on 2 trailers, i just need brackets to mount it.

I am looking at a refurbished unit but still quite a cash outlay. I have not spoken to the salesman, I have been emailing him back and forth but there is a definite sales pitch.

What to do... what to do...

 

One thing to keep in mind. These hitches prevent sway from ever occurring which is great. They do not prevent the movement you get when a tractor trailer drives by which people mistake as sway. I thankfully have never had a sway incident. The Reese dual cam does a good job at counteracting sway - I Guess .

 

I disagree. I had horrible sway with my old hitch, whenever a TT unit would pass me. Once I got the Hensley, I felt nada when a TT unit would blow by. I have had our Hensley for 5 years, and use it to pull a 31 foot travel trailer with our EX. The pro-pride company came to be when the patents ran out on the Hensley. Pro-pride is owned by a former exec from Hensley, who essentialy had a falling out with Hensly execs. Concept is identical, but delivery is different...the pro-pride has an adjustable head, which makes using different vehicles and easy conversion. The Hensley stinger is fixed, and to change to a different drop (or rise) required a $200 investment in a different drop stinger. If I had to do it over, I'd get the pro-pride. Besides, they're not that dorky orange color...

 

I guess it is possible to use the Hensley on two different trailers...BUT the head assembly weighs close to 100#'s so moving it is not the easiest...just so you should know it does take some muscle and adjustment once you get it back on the other trailer...it isn't a simple thing but not terribly difficult either...

Have you looked at the PullRite hitch? About the same price as a Hensley and ProPride but the hitch stays on the truck...you will probably need two sets of brackets for the trailers but towing two different trailers should be much easier (I would think but I've never researched this) with the PullRite.

I'm just not sure you will be happy lugging a 100# hitch head between trailers if you switch often is all...just food for thought...

As far as Hensley vs. ProPride...well...you guys covered how it looks to the public quite nicely!

I will have my Hensley for 4 years this coming May...I will say that while the Hensley doesn't remove the sensation of the Push/Pull when a semi is passing it does change it...what I mean by that is rather than having the truck and trailer "pivot" at the ball having the Hensley makes the setup feel like a 55' straight truck if you will...as you get "pushed" the WHOLE setup (truck and trailer) gets pushed to the shoulder and as you get "pulled" the WHOLE setup gets pulled back...a different feeling and IMO a better feeling because there is no out of sync oscillations...everything is stable...

I have enjoyed many care free miles with my Hensley between me and my 9000# TT...but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be the same outcome had I still had my DC...for me I just wanted an added insurance policy that I was willing to pay for is all...the DC is an excellent hitch!

Joe.

 

This is all great info. So the Propride stays on the vehicle or just the hitch?

My car trailer is not used that often and on short trips I can use the standard hitch but I will think about swapping the unit between trailers. So if I get the Hensley I need the cover for the hitch since it is not easy to get on and off?




I am a little dismayed how pushy the Hensley salesman is, I just started talking to the ProPride rep.

 

Both the Hensley AND the ProPride would stay on the trailer.

The PullRite stays on the truck.

The only thing I didn't like about the PullRite when I first looked at it was how it mounted BELOW the Ex receiver...BUT the more I have come to understand how the PullRite works and how the Hensley/ProPride work...the PullRite is HANDS DOWN the BETTER hitch...IMO...

The PullRite uses pure mechanical advantage of putting the tongue weight right at the rear axle (just like a fifth wheel)...whereas the Hensley/ProPride use geometry to "project" the tongue weight...

One thing that the Hensley/ProPride has is something called the "bump"...it is RARE but a REAL phenom that can happen if you allow your TV to outbrake the TT and the hitch can free rotate and SLAM into the back of your truck...like I said rare but real...

The PullRite has NO bump and I believe it to be superior overall...just my opinion.

If I had it to do over...I would likely go PullRite...even with the mounting on an Ex!

Joe.

 

The Pullright says 2000-2004 and Excursion 4wd only, I have a 2wd.

 

Hmmm...I would give them a call...they are in Elkhart Indiana...Pulliam Industries...it may have to do with the ground clearance I was talking about?...sorry...didn't realize they might not have an application for a 2wd...dang...

 

Whadaya know. I just happen to have one for sale. PM if interested or if you just have general questions.

 

I cannot say whether the ProPride is better than the Hensley or vice-versa. It looks like the ProPride has a few evolutionary features beyond the Hensley, which has not really changed in almost 12 years, that I'm aware of.

Our Hensley has served us extremely well since the spring of 2003. We have used it on 3 sucessive travel trailers. Every time, Hensley would "swap" draw bars so with me for free (plus shipping) so I could level the trailer. As X-Hemi Guy said, this hitch allows relaxed driving while towing a big trailer. I have re-painted it twice; it is now a very unnoticeable black color.

If I were buying new, I would seriously look at the Pro-Pride. You can adjust the hitch height without returning the drawbar. Also, the ProPride does not have quite the same arrangment to hold the hitch head in proper orientation--the ProPride arrangement looks a little more robust and compact.

You either go with a newer hitch evolution (but with less experience), or you go with an older hitch that receives rave reviews time and again.

 

I am now leaning towards the ProPride, it does not require me to cut part of my V to install and I don't have to drill into the frame, the last thing I want to do is cut my trailer to make something fit.